Well completing device



March 11, 1941.

J. H. HOWARD wan. commune vsvzcz Filed July 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet X aHozn M Patented Mar. 11, 1941 PATENT OFFICE WELL COMPLETING DEVICE James H. Howard, Houston, Tex., assignor to McEvoy Company, Houston, Tex.

Application July 19, 1938, Serial No. 219,947

13 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for completing wells.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for completing oil wells under control in high pressure areas.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for setting a screen assembly in a well bore by the use of a string of well tubing which is left in the well casing as a Syphon tubing for the well after the screen assembly has been set. v

An important object of the invention is to provide improved means of the character described the use of which eliminates the usual operation of setting the screen with the drill stem and then removing the same from the well to permit the insertion of the syphon tubing, whereby the danger of a blow-out during the pulling operation is obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for setting a well screen assembly and bringing a well to completion, said well being held under pressure control at the surface by any suitable means.

A particular object of the invention is to provide improved means'for setting a screen assembly including valve means for establishing communication between the interior of the tubing and the well bore to permit washing of the mud from the said bore and the exterior of the screen, said valve means being closable when the setting means is disconnected from the screen assembly to positively shut off or seal the bottom portion of said screen assembly, whereby sanding up of the same is prevented.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for setting screens including a wash down valve normally closed and a shut-off valve communicating with the wash down valve, the second valve being closable by the setting device, whereby the lower end of the screen is positively sealed olf.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a well completing device constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the device within a well bore,

partly in section, showing the packer in undistorted position with the shut-off valve open,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the packer in distorted position with the shut-01f valve closed,

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectionalview taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the numeral l0 designates above the packer, the usual shear pins I6 for supporting the packing assembly in itsinoperative position, and the conventional slips I! for holding the same in operating or packing 01f position. The packing assembly may be actuated in any suitable manner as by expansible dogs l8 carried by the string of Well tubing I9, as .will be hereinafter explained. However, it is noted that the packing assembly is not a part of the invention and may be of any type and may be set in any desired manner.

A set shoe 20, having sharp-edged blades or wings 2| formed on its lower end for engaging the bottom of the well bore, is welded or otherwise fastened to the bottom of the screen H.

A plurality of ports or openings 22 are provided in the curved sides and bottom of 'the set shoe in order that wash water may pass therethrough. A cylindrical valve casing or shell 23 is screwthreaded into the upper end of the shoe 20 and is formed with an internal annular bevelled seat 40 24. A depending poppet or wash down valve 25, having a bevelled head 26, is axially disposed within the shell 23 so that its head 26 engages the seat 24. The stem of the valve extends upwardly through a spider 21 made integral with the shell 23, the spider having openings for by-passing fluidsas shown in Figure 5. A helical or coiled spring 28 is confined upon the upper end of the valve stem between the spider 21 and a nut 29 fastened on the upper end of the stem, whereby the spring exerts its pressure to. hold the valve head26 against its seat 24. Thus, the valve will remain closed; until the pressure of downstream fluids overcomes the compression of the helical spring 28. Of. course,

the valve is not actuated by upstream pressure, and therefore, will prevent fluid from flowing upwardly through the tubing I9.

The extreme upper end of the valve shell 23 is internally screw-threaded so as to receive an externally screw-threaded nipple 33 formed on the lower end of a cylindrical valve cage or housing 3| as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The bore of the valve cage 3| has a greater diameter than the bore of the nipple 30 and is provided with internal left hand screw threads 32 of the type known as acme or square threads having a slight bevel or taper. A cylindrical valve sleeve or shutoff valve 33, having a similarly screw-threaded annular shoulder or rib 34, formed on its central portion, is received within the bore of the cage 3|. The annular shoulder 34hr the sleeve has substantially the same diameter as the bore of the cage, whereby the acme threads 34 formed thereon engage the acme threads 32 of said bore to support said valve sleeve therein.

The bore of the nipple 30 is of a slightly greater diameter than the external diameter of the sleeve 33, whereby the latter has a snug or sliding fit within said bore. A partition or plate 35 extends transversely across the lower portion of the sleeve bore so as to close or shut off the same. For establishing communication between the sleeve bore and the interior of the valve shell 23, a plurality of inclined ports 36 are provided. The ports 36 are inclined upwardly and inwardly and have their inner ends terminating immediately above the partition 35, whereby fluid within the sleeve bore may flow therethrough to the interior of the shell 23. A valve ring 31, having an external annnular bevelled shoulder 38, is screwthreaded upon the reduced lower end of the valve sleeve 33 and the bevelled surface of the shoulder 38 is arranged to engage a complementary bevelled seat 39 formed on the lower end of the valve cage 3| when the valve sleeve 33 is raised within said cage as shown in Figure 3. Obviously, right hand rotation of the valve sleeve will lift the same to its upper position, whereby'the shoulder 38 will engage the seat 39 and the ports 36 will be closed so as to prevent the by-passing of fluids therethrough. Thus, the valve sleeve serves a a positive shut-off valve to prevent the passage of fluids to the poppetor wash down valve 25.

An internal socket 40, having a plurality of side walls, is formed in the upper'end of the valve sleeve and is arranged to be engaged by a wrench pin or shank 4| carried by the lower end of a tool joint or coupling 42. While the pin 4| and socket 40 may be of any desirable form, it is preferred to employ a pin and socket having five sides, four of which are identical and are of less size than the fifth side, whereby a cross-section of the same resembles an irregular pentagon as shown in Figure 4. It is manifest that rotation of'the tool joint 32 will rotate the valve sleeve 33 due to the pin and socket connection therebetween. The tool joint i screw-threaded upon the lower end of the tubing I9 and is provided with a reduced portion which is formed with external left hand screw threads 43. These threads are also of the acme type and are arranged to engage the internal screw threads 32 of the valve cage 3|, whereby the entire assembly will be supported by the tubing I9. It is pointed out that the tubing not only supports the entire device as it is being lowered into the well, but also serves to actuate the valve sleeve 33.

1 In the operation of the device,the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 with the valve sleeve in its lower position so that the ports 33 are below the seat 39 and in communication with the interior of the valve shell 23. The screen H and packing assembly I3, with its packer l4 undistorted, are lowered through the casing A to the position shown in Figure 1. It is pointed out that the liner |2 extends through the casing into the well bore Ill and that the screen is suspended within the lower end of the well bore. It is noted that the poppet or wash down valve 25 being held closed by the compression of the spring 28 prevents the upward passage of well fluids, whereby it is impossible for said fluids to enter the tubing I9. Thus, a positive means for preventing blowouts through the tubing l9 while the same is being lowered through the casing is provided.

The screen is lowered into the well bore until a portion of the weight of the entire device is supported by the set shoe 2|] and the sharp-edged blades 2| of said shoe have bitten into the bottom of the well bore. Wash water is then circulated down through the tubing 59, tool joint 42, pin2l, into the bore of the valve sleeve 33, through the ports 36 to the interior of the valve shell 23 and through the openings in the spider 21. Here, the water strikes the upper side of the valve'head 26 and since the pressure of the water is greater than the compression of the helical spring 28, said head will be forced away from its seat 24 to permit said water to pass therethrough into the set shoe 20. The water will then flow through the ports 22 of the shoe into the well bore and up wardly between the wall of said bore and the screen, whereby said bore and the exterior of said screen is washed so as to be substantially free of all mud.

When this washing step has been completed, the tubing is rotated clockwise or to the right so as to disconnect the left hand screw threads 43 of the tool joint 42 from the left hand screw threads 32 of the valve cage 3|. Sincethe latter is secured to the set shoe 20 by means of conventional right hand connections and said shoe is held against rotation by the sharp-edged blade 2|,

the left hand acme screw threads are relatively easy to disengage. Of course, rotation of the tubing will also raise the valve sleeve 33 due to the pin and socket connection between the tool joint and said sleeve. The screw threads 43 of the tool joint willleave the screw threads 32 of the valve cage before the valve sleeve has completed its upward movement. However, the wrench pin H will remain in engagement with the socket 43 of the sleeve, whereby said sleeve will be threaded to its upper position as shown in Figure 3. At this time, the bevelled shoulder 38 of the valve ring 31 will tightly engage the bevelled seat 39, thereby closing the ports 36 and providing a positive seal for the tubing. Thus, the bottom portion of the screen is closed to prevent the entrance of sand and/or water, whereby sanding up of said screen is substantially eliminated. It is pointed out that the refusal of the valvesleeve to further rotate will notify the operator at the surface of the well that said valve has reached its upper position and is entirely closed. However, to make sure that the valve is closed, water may be pumped down through the tubing to the valve and if the valveis entirely closed the pumps will labor and run with difficulty.

When the valve sleeve has reached its upper position, the tubing is raised preparatory to setting the packer I l and during this elevation of the tubing freshwater ispumped through said tubing so as to wash the interior of the'well screen. The tubing is elevated until the dogs I8 carried thereon are above the upper end of the compression sleeve l5 so that said dogs are permitted to expand. The tubing is then lowered, whereby the expanded dogs will engage the upper end of the compression sleeve and force it downwardly. The weight of the tubing exerted upon the sleeve l5 will shear the pins [6 so as to force the sleeve and packer downwardly, thereby distorting said packer into packing engagement with the casing A so as to pack oif therebetween as shown in Figure 3. The packer is held in packing oif position by the engagement of the slips I! with the external surface of the liner.-

The tubing may then again be lowered a slight distance into the well screen so as to wash the mud from the upper portion of the interior of said screen. However, since the expanded dogs will engage the upper end of the compression sleeve, it is possible to lower the tubing only a slight distance therein. Therefore, it is necessary to wash the greater portion of the screen when the tubing is first raised as has been hereinbefore set forth. The tubing is then raised and hung from the tubing head (not shown), whereby said tubing may be utilized as a syphon tubing of the conventional type. If the pressure of the well fluids is not sufficient to overcome the weight of the water and lift the same, the well may be swabbed, rocked or otherwise encouraged to flow.

Various changes, alterations and. modifications may be made in the size, shape and arrangement of the herein described elements, within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a sub-combination in a well device, a hollow tool joint having a screw-threaded socket at its upper end and a reduced intermediate portion provided with coarse screw threads, a wrench pin on the lower end of the joint.

2. In a well device of the character described, a well screen assembly including, a screen having a set shoe in its lower end provided with means for resisting rotation of the screen, a shell secured in the screen having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve carried by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve set, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, a tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubing to removably engage the screen assembly for setting the same in the well and having a wrench pin engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operating said valve uponrotation of said tubing, and a packer carried by the screen and arranged to be set by'the well tub-. ing when the tool joint is disconnected from the screen.

3. In a well device of the character described, a well screen assembly including, a screen having a set shoe at its lower end, a wrench pin and socket means within the screen for connecting said screen assembly to a well tubing, whereby said screen assembly may be set by said tubing, means for shutting off flow from the tubing through the screening walls of the screen and establishing flow down through the screen, and a wash-down valve at the set shoe opening to permit the washing fluid to flow into the well and up the well bore and outer surface of said screen, said connecting means operatively connected with the shut-off means upon reverse rotation of the tubing to adjust said shut-off means to also out 01f flow to and from the wash-down valve, said connecting means being disconnected from the screen upon continued reverse rotation of the tubing, whereby the interior of the screen may be washed and flow from the well tubing through the screening walls of the screen established.

4. In a well device of the character described, a well screen assembly including, a screen having a set shoe at its lower end, a wrench pin and socket means within the screen for connecting said screen assembly to a well tubing, whereby said screen assembly may be set by said tubing, means for shutting off flow from the tubing through the screening walls of the screen and establishing flow down through the screen, a wash down valve at the set shoe opening to permit the washing fluid to flow into the well and up the well bore and outer surface of said screen, said connecting means operatively.

connected with the shut-off means to also out 01f flow to and from the wash-down valve, said connecting means being disconnected from the screen upon continued reverse rotation of the tubing, whereby the interior of the screen may be washed and flow from the well tubing through the screening walls of the screen established, and a packer carried by the screen arranged to be set by the well tubing andv to be disconnected from said tubing, whereby said tubing may b elevated above the packer.

5. In a well device of the character described, a well screen assembly including, a screen having a set shoe on its lower end provided with means for resisting rotation of the screen, a shell secured in the screen having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve car-' ried by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, a tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tub-ing to removably engage the screen assembly for setting the same in the well and having a wrench pin engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operating said valve upon rotation of said tubing, means on said tubing wherefor resisting rotation of the screen, a shell secured in the screen having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve carried'by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertitically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, a tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubing to removably engage the screen assembly for setting the same in the well, and a wrench pin on the lower end of the joint engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operating said valve upon rotation of said tubing.

7. In a well device of the character described an assembly including, a well screen assembly including, a screen having a set shoe on its lower end provided with means for resisting rotation of the screen, a shell secured in the screen having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve carried by theshell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubing to removably engage the screen assembly; for setting the same in the well, a wrench pin on the lower end of the joint engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operatingv said valve upon rotation of said tubing, and a packer carried by the tubular means and arranged tobe set by the welltubing when the tool joint is disconnected from the screen assembly.

8. In a well device of the character described an assembly including, a tubular means having a set shoe on its lower end provided with means for resisting rotation of the tubular means, a shell secured in the tubular means having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve carried by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, means arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubing to removably engage the assembly for setting the same in the well and having a wrench pin engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operating said valve upon rotation of said tubing, and a packer carried by the tubular means and arranged to be set by the well tubing when the setting means is disconnected from the tubular means.

9. In a well device of the character described, a tubular means having a set shoe at its lower end, a wrench pin and socket means within the tubular means for connecting it to a well tubing, whereby said tubular means may be set by said tubing, a wash-down valve at the set shoe opening to permit a washing fluid to flow into the well and up the well bore and outer surface of said tubular means, shut-off means within the tubular means above the wash down valve said connecting means operatively connected with the shut-off means and operable upon reverse rotation of the tubing to adjustsaidshut-ofi means to cut off flow to and from the wash-down valve.

10. In a well device of the character described, a tubular means having a set shoe at its lower end, a' wrench pin and socket means within the tubular means for connecting it to a well tubing, whereby said tubular means may be set by said tubing, means for shutting off or establishing flow down through the tubular means, a washdown valve at the set shoe opening to permit the washing fluid to flow into the well and up the well bore and outer surface of said tubular means, said connecting means being operatively connected with the shut-off means to adjust said shut-off means to cut off flow to and from the wash-down valve, said connecting means disconnectible from the tubular means, and a packer carried by the tubular means arranged to be set by the well tubing and to be disconnected from said tubing, whereby said tubing may be elevated above the packer.

1 1. In a well device of the character described, a tubular means having a set shoe on its lower end providedwith means for resisting rotation of the tubular means, a shell secured in the tubular means havinga valve seat at its lower end, aspringpressed wash-down valve carried by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, a tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubingt-o removably engage the set shoe for setting the same in the well, and a wrench pin on the lowerend of the joint engageable with the sleeve'valve for axially operating said valve upon rotation of said tubing.

12. In a well device of the character described, a tubular means having a set shoe on its lower end provided with means for resisting rotation of the tubular means, a shell secured in the tubular means having a valve seat at its lower end, a spring pressed wash-down valve carried by the shell and closing upwardly against said seat, a valve cage carried by the shell and having a valve seat, a sleeve valve movable vertically in said cage to engage the seat thereof, a tool joint arranged to be mounted on the lower end of a tubing to removably engage the set shoe for setting the same in the well, a wrench pin on the lower end of the joint engageable with the sleeve valve for axially operating said valve upon rotation of said tubing, and a packer carried by the tubular means and arranged to be set by the well tubing after the tool joint is disconnected from the tubular means.

13. In a well device of the character described, a tubular means having a set shoe at its lower end, a wrench pin and socket means within the tubular means for connecting it to a well tubing, whereby said tubular. means may be set by said tubing, means for shutting oil or establishing a new down through the tubular means, a washdown valve at the set shoe opening to permit the washing fluid to flow into the well and up the well bore and outer surface of said tubular means,rsaid connecting means operatively connected with the shut-off means operable upon reverse rotation of the tubing to adjust said shutofi means to cut off flow to and from the washdown valve, said connecting means being disconnected from the tubular means upon continued reverse rotation of the tubing, and a packer carried by the tubular means arranged to be set by the well tubing and to be disconnected from said tubing,,whereby said tubing may be elevated above the packer.

, JAMES H. HOWARD. 

